Washing machine



P. J MALONEY.

WASHING MACHINE.

APFLICATiON FILED AUG.II, 1920.

Patented Nov. 7, 1922.;

2 SHEETS*SHEET I.

P. J. IVIALUNtY.

WASHING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED AUG.I7. 1920.

1 &34,,55%, Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHED 2- reamed Nov. 1, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WASHING iuncnmn.

Application tiled August 17, 1920. Serial No. 404,070.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER J. MAIDNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester in the count of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, ave invented a new and useful Washing Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a washing ma chine of the type in which suctionpounders are intermittently pressed downward upon the clothes.

It is the object of my invention to provide a construction in which the pounders are mounted for free lateral movement as they rise and fall, thus acting more effectively upon the clothes.

Another object is to provide improved driving mechanism for a machine of this type by the use of which easy operation of the machine is assured.

A further feature'of my invention consists in providing a pump driven from the same operating mechanism and effective to circulate the water in the machine or to force the water out of the machine as desired.

Further features of my invention relate to arrangements and combinations of parts particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved washer Fig. 2 is a right-hand side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail edge view of the actuating lever, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the pounders, and v I Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detail sectlonal elevations, taken along the line 6--6 in Fig. 4 and showing different operative positions of certain parts.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a tank 10, preferably supported on legs 11 and constructed of any suitable material, wood being indicated herein. In the preferred form, I provide inclined side plates 12 and 13 resting against the front and back sides of the tank as shown in" Figs. 2 and 4. A pair of suction pounders 14 are each provided with an upwardly extending rod or shaft 15, which rods are ivotally connected to the opposite ends 0 a rock arm 16. Preferably the rods 15 are provided with a series of cross pins 17 and the rock arm 16 is formed of two spring plates 18 and 19 (Fig. 1) having holes at the ends to receive the pins 17. Thumb screws 20 may be provided for forcing the plates 18 and 19 apart to permit removal or insertion of the pins 17 The rock arm 16 is secured to across shaft 21 supported in separable bearings 22 of the shaft 21 and is provided with ribs 24 forming a guide way in which a lever 25 is slida ly secured by a binding nut 26. The lever 25 is provided with a long slot 27 which permits the lever to be raised and lowered in the arm 23, it being held in any de-' sired position by the binding nut 26.

At its lower end the lever 25 is forked as shown at 28 in Fig. 3 and the forked ends 28 are provided with slots 29 (Fig. .2). A sprocket chain 30 is mounted on sprockets 31 and 32 which rotate upon ofiset bearings spaced from the front and rear edges of the tank 10. A fly wheel 33 is connected with the sprocket 31 and is provided with a handle 34 by which the machine may be manually operated.

A cross pin 35 (Fig. 3) is fixed at one point in the chain 30, and extends into the slots 29 formed in the lower forked end 28 of the lever 25. As the flywheel 33 and sprocket 31 are rotated, the pin 35 moves across the end of the tank 10, first along the upper run of the chain in one direction and then along the lower run of the chain in the opposite direction. The rear portion of the fork 28 is of such length that it swings behind the bearings of the sprockets .31 and 32 and in consequence the pin 35 never leaves the slot therein at any point in its path of travel. The lever 35 is thus oscillated alternately in opposite directions and communicates an alternating rise and fall to each pounder 14.

As the pounders rise and fall their pivotal connections to the rock arm 16 permit them to swing freely laterally during their vertical movement. This free lateral movement is found to add materially to the ef fectiveness of the machine, causing a greater circulation of water and also permitting the pounders to yield to any unusual resistance of the clothes and preventing injury thereto.

While I have shown the washer as manually operated, it will be understood that a motor or any other suitable driving mechanism may beused to rotate the fly wheel 33 and actuate the pounders.

The pounders14 are preferably of a general rectangular shape, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, enlarged toward the lower open end and commonly made of light wood construction. The side of each pounder toward the center of the machine is preferabl extended upwardly as shown at 36 in Big. 4. These extensions separate the clothes from the rods 15 and one of them may also be utilized as a scrub board when it is desrable to rub badly soiled places in the clothes by hand. A middle partition 37 may be provided, extending lengthwise through the middle of each pounder. This part1- tion prevents the clothes from being forced upwardly .inside of the pounder as the pounder descends.

- The action of a washing machine of this type may be rendered st ll more effective by providing a pump for circulating the water inside of the tank 10. For this purpose, the tank 10 may be fitted with a partition 40 (Fig. 1) forming a, pocket or recess at one end of the tank,- in which a pump cylinder 41 is posit oned. The piston rod 42 of the pump has a link connection 43 with an arm 44 secured to the cross shaft 21.

The lower end of the pump cylinder 41 preferably extends into a pocket or recess 45 formed in the bottom of the tank 10 and the water enters the cylinder through an opening 46 normally closed by a check valve 47", the support of the cylinder being cut away at the sides to permit the water to enter the cylinder. As the pump piston descends the water is forced out of the cylinder 41 past a second check valve 48 and into a pipe 49. The pipe 49 is somewhat abruptly reduced in size as shown in Fig. 4 and extends along the side and front of the machine to a point near the center of the front, where it terminates in an inwardly projecting nozzle 50 which is aligned with an opening 51 near the bottom of the side plate 13. A screen 52 may be provided to cover the opening 51.

The mechanism thus far described acts to withdraw the water from the lower portion of the tank and to return the water to the tank through the nozzle 50. The water thus forcibly injected into the tank has a cleaning action on the clothes due to its rapid motion and also tends to turn the clothes, as

the water is always injected during the upward movement of the pounder 14 adjacent the nozzle.

I also use the same pump mechanism for emptying the tank 10 when desired and for this purpose I provide a vertical pipe 53 having an outlet 54 that projects over the side of the tank. The pipe 53 is closed at its lower end but is provided with an opening 55 in one side wall as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. The lower end of the pipe 53 fits into a cross connection at an intermediate point in the pipe 49. WVhen the pipe 53 1s moved upward as shown in Fig. 6, the pipe 49 isopen andwater'is forced out of the nozzle 50 as previously described. A collar 56 on the pipe 53 limits such upward movement of the pipe by engagement with a hearing bracket 57. When the pipe 53 is pushed downward and the outlet 54 is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, the connection with the nozzle 50 is shut off and the pump acts to force the water through the pipe 53 and out of the outlet 54. If the outlet is then moved to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 the opening 55 will be moved out of alignment with the pipe 49. No water can enter the pipe 53 while the parts are in this position.

Having described the construction of my improved washing machine, the operation and advantages thereof will be apparent.

A quantity of clothes being placed in the tank 10, the fly wheel 33 is rotated and the pounders 14 move alternately upward and downward, at the same time having a certain free lateral movement. Meanwhile the pump draws the water out from the bottom of the tank and returns it to the tank through the nozzle 50. The combined action of the pounders and the pump exposes the clothes to the cleansing action of the water, and dirt is quickly removed therefrom.

It will be understood that a wringer of any usual type may be used in connection with my machine, and driving connection therefor may be made through the sprocket 58 (Fig. l), rotating with the sprocket wheel 32.

When the wringer is in use, the lever 25 may be raised and clamped in its upper position, in which position it is out of the path of the pin 35. By opening the bearings 22, the cross shaft 21 and all parts connected therewith may be lifted upward and may thus be removed bodily from the machine.

Having thus described my invention, it will be evident that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims and I do not wish to be otherwise limited to the a portion engaging said lever when in the upper and lower runs alternately.

2. A washing machine having a tank, a

rock shaftmounted thereon, a rock arm fixed to said shaft, a pair of suction pounders pivotally connected to said rock arm, a lever having a slotted connection to said rock shaft and driving means to oscillate said lever, said lever being slidable to inoperative position relative ,to said. drivingmeans.

3. A washing machine having a-tank, a

rock shaft, separable bearings for said shaft on said tank, a rock arm fixed to said shaft, a pair of suction pounders pivotally connected to said rock arm, a lever also fixed to said shaft, and, means to oscillate said lever, said lever, shaft, rock arm and pounders being removable as a unit from said tank by releasing said separable bearin s.

i. A washing machine having a tank with oppositely inclined side plates, a rock shaft supported on said tank, a rock arm on said shaft, means to oscillate said shaft and arm, and a pair of suction pounders pivotally connected to the ends of said rock shaft and capable of combined vertical and angular movement adjacent said inclined plates.

5. In a washing machine, a tank, a pump, a discharge connection from said pump to the tank, a second discharge connection from said pump to a point above said tank, and a valve controlling the passage of water from said pump to said discharge connections, whereby the pump is rendered effective to circulate water through the tank or to raise and discharge water above the level of said tank.

6. A washing machine comprising a tank,

a rock shaft pivotally mounted on said tank, a rock arm fixed to said shaft, a pair of suction pounders, rods fixed to said pounders and extending upward, said rods being pivotally connected to said rock arm, and means to oscillate said arm, said pivoted connection comprising cross pins fixed in said rods, and said rock arm being formed of a pair of separable spring plates having recesses to receive said pins, means being also provided for forcing said plates apart to release said pins and rods.

In a washing machine, a tank, a pair of suction pounders, a rock shaft connected to raise and lower said pounders alternately, a pump effective to circulate the water in the tank, and means to actuate said pump, said pump having a nozzle through which water is forcibly projected towards the center of said tank and directly against the clothes contained therein.

8, In a washing machine, a tank, a pair of suction pounders, a rock shaft connected to raise and lower said pounders alternately, and means to intermittently inject a stream of Water into said tank at a point near the bottom thereof, the water being injected as the bucket nearer the point of injection rises.

9. A washing machine having, in combination, a tank, a rock shaft supported thereon, a rocking arm on said shaft, a pair of suction pounders freely pivoted to said arm at the opposite sides of said shaft, means to oscillate said shaft to alternately raise and lower said pounders, and means "to move said pounders alternately toward the longitudinal center line of said tank as said pounders descend.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af- I 

